Viola mandshurica W.Becker

Herbs perennial, acaulescent, 6-18 cm tall. Rhizome erect, dark brown, short, 5-12 mm, densely noded, often producing from a single point several robust brown long roots; roots obliquely descending or sometimes slightly horizontal, usually smooth. Leaves 3-5 or numerous, basal; stipules membranous, lower ones scalelike, brown, upper ones brownish, purplish, or glaucous, over 2/3 adnate to petiole, free part linear-lanceolate, apex acuminate, margin remotely denticulate or subentire; petiole 2.5-8 cm, narrowly winged in upper part, wing conspicuously broadened after anthesis, puberulous or glabrous; leaf blade oblong, ligulate, or ovate-lanceolate, lower ones usually smaller and narrowly ovate, 2-6 × 0.5-1.5 cm, accrescent after anthesis, narrowly triangular, elliptic-lanceolate, or slightly hastate, to 10 × 5 cm, broadest in lowest part, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely puberulous, midvein conspicuously raised abaxially, base truncate or broadly cuneate, decurrent to petiole, margin remotely and shallowly repand-crenate or sometimes subentire in lower part, apex obtuse or rounded. Flowers purple-violet or purplish, sometimes white, ca. 2 cm in diam.; pedicels long, usually exceeding leaves, slender, glabrous or puberulous, usually 2-bracteolate below or near middle; bracteoles linear. Sepals ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 5-7 mm, apex acuminate, basal auricles short, 1.5-2 mm, broad, 3-veined, margin narrowly membranous, apex rounded or truncate, usually not dentate. Upper petals obovate, 1.1-1.3 cm × 5-8 mm, lateral ones oblong-obovate, 1.1-1.5 cm × 4-6 mm, distinctly or sparsely bearded, anterior one 1.5-2.3 cm (spur included); spur cylindric, long, 5-10 mm, robust, apex rounded, curved upward or straight. Appendage of connectives ca. 1.5 mm; anthers ca. 2 mm; spur of 2 anterior stamens 4-6 mm. Ovary ovoid-globose, ca. 2.5 mm, glabrous; styles clavate, base slender and geniculate forward, thicker in upper part; stigmas slightly thickened on lateral sides and abaxially and with erect, thin margins, shortly beaked in front, beak obliquely ascending, with a larger stigma hole at tip. Capsule oblong, 1-1.5 cm, glabrous, apex acute. Seeds brownish red, numerous, ovoid-globose, ca. 1.5 mm, glabrous. Fl. Apr-May, fr. May-Sep. 2n = 24, 48*.

Grassy places and fields in lowland and hills. Grasslands, grassy slopes, thickets, forest margins, sparse forests, fields, sandy places along river banks; at elevations below 1,000 metres.

The whole plant is eaten. The leaves are eaten in soup.

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.